Entertainment
Rocky Dawuni, Buyepongo, Jeremy Sole, Glenn Red, Kahlil Cummings, for Afro Funke’ @20
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KCRW & the iconic Grand Performances are teaming up for an extraordinary night in honor of the 20th Anniversary of Afro Funke’ on Saturday, July 22, 2023 from 6 to 10 pm at Grand Performances in downtown Los Angeles.
The event is free, all ages and picnics are welcome.
Patrons have been urged to come out and celebrate the legacy of the once-weekly party night that turned global, with live performances from Rocky Dawuni and Buyepongo, plus DJ sets from Afro Funke’ resident DJs Glenn Red.
This would be complemented by Jeremy Sole (resident KCRW DJ too!), live drumming and dancing by the amazing Kahlil Cummings & friends! Join us for Afrobeat, Latin, Brazilian, Indian, Jamaican and other traditional and remixed world rhythms, plus African drumming and dancing, DJ Culture, arts & crafts, merch and much more!
About Afro Funke’
Afro Funke’ which is celebrating its 20th Anniversary in 2023, was the brainchild of 3x GRAMMY nominated Afro Roots musician and activist, Rocky Dawuni, who realized LA’s need for a night dedicated to African music, culture, and art and it’s far-reaching legacy around the world. Afro Funke’ was a super successful weekly event every Thursday night at Zanzibar in Santa Monica for over 10 years with the generous support of owners Louie & Netty Ryan and then moved on to be a periodic event throughout Los Angeles at various larger and smaller scale venues including Levitt Pavilion, Grand Park, Hammer Museum, Fowler Museum, Townhouse in Venice as well as international events.
Dawuni (who is now based in his native Ghana,) together with producer, talent curator, and photographer Cary Sullivan created Afro Funke’, bringing on board resident DJ and co-founder DJ Jeremy Sole (KCRW, Le Frique Sonique) Afro Funke’ has presented international guest DJs, live band performances, guest musicians, dancers, cutting edge films, record release parties, fundraisers, fashion shows, art and photography installations, crafts and more.
Sole spins his unique “Musaics,” or sound collage-blends of hip hop, jazz/funk, dub reggae, afro beat, and remixed world beats; pieced together with tribal breaks, and uplifted by dubbed-out turntable manipulation and live instrumentation. DJ Glenn Red (La Junta) is our second resident DJ and is an integral part of the Afro Funke’ Sound System.
Afro Funke’s profile has been greatly enhanced by its unique photo-based flyers which feature Cary Sullivan’s cutting-edge photographs of West African life.
About Rocky Dawuni
Afro Funke’ founder, Rocky Dawuni with his full 12-piece “Afro Roots Band” will headline the night. The three-time GRAMMY-nominated musician and activist straddles the boundaries between Africa, the Caribbean, and the US that unites generations and cultures. A galvanizing performer, Dawuni has shared the stage with luminaries including Stevie Wonder, Ozomatli, Sauti Sol, Peter Gabriel and John Legend. Named one of Africa’s Top 10 global stars by CNN, he has showcased his talent at prestigious venues such as The Kennedy Center, Lincoln Center and The Hollywood Bowl. Rocky is a UN Goodwill Ambassador for the Environment for Africa. Through these and other designations, he uses his music to shine a light on crucial issues facing humanity across the globe through live concerts, speaking roles, panels, youth empowerment, and much more!
http://www.rockydawuni.com
https://www.instagram.com/rockydawuni
Award-winning Ghanaian rapper, Michael Addo popularly known as Sarkodie, has called for a deeper and more sustainable partnership between Ghana’s creative industry and the financial technology sector.
The rapper made the call on Tuesday when he paid a courtesy call on the management of MobileMoney Fintech Limited at the company’s head office in Accra to explore opportunities for collaboration beyond the conventional corporate sponsorship arrangement.
The meeting focused on how the two sectors could work together to promote financial inclusion, digital financial services and opportunities within Ghana’s growing creative economy.
The rapper acknowledged MobileMoney Fintech Ltd’s past support for his annual Rapperholic concert, but emphasised that his broader objective was to establish a long-term partnership that creates sustainable value for both the company and the creative industry.
“I am here today not like the usual business where we come and ask, ‘Can we get sponsorship for our show?’ and that’s it. It goes beyond just coming in and getting support,” Sarkodie said.
He pointed out that artistes and creative professionals maintain long-term visions for their careers including album releases, tours, brand initiatives, and community engagement programmes and argued that corporate partnerships should be structured around shared objectives.
Sarkodie proposed to use his upcoming campus tour as a platform for MobileMoney Fintech Ltd to engage directly with young people, raising awareness about the company’s new MoMo app and its comprehensive suite for financial services.
Welcoming Sarkodie and his team, the Chief Executive Officer of MobileMoney Fintech Ltd, Mr Shaibu Haruna, described the visit as an important step towards strengthening the relationship between the creative and Fintech industries.
Mr Haruna explained that although MobileMoney Fintech Ltd was primarily a technology-driven company, its relationship with the entertainment industry remained strategic because of the enormous reach and influence of both sectors.
Both parties expressed commitment to future engagements to identify concrete areas of cooperation, focusing heavily on expanding financial inclusion, connecting young people to digital financial services, and accelerating the growth of Ghana’s creative economy.
By Linda Abrefi Wadie
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It was a night of fun and excitement as thousands converged at the National Theatre for Nana Osei Bonsu annual comedy special in Accra.
Themed: ‘Comfortably Struggling’, was built around his personal experiences, using humour to explore the realities, challenges and lessons that comes with everyday life.
The one-hour solid performance kept the audience engaged from start to finish, with his personal stories providing the foundation for a night of comedy and relatable storytelling.
Nana Osei Bonsu known in showbiz circles as MC Okokobioko told The Spectator Agoro that the show further cements his growing influence in Ghana’s comedy and entertainment space.
According to MC Okokobioko this years comedy show gives a summary about his personal life that even the struggles of life can become a reason for each and every one to laugh again.
The show featured an impressive line-up of Ghanaian and international comedians, including MJ The Comedian, Ranzy Ray, Talk Plenty, Parrot Mouth, Kweku Manu, Alphenomina, Jeneral Ntatia, Slim Saint from Nigeria and Papayaw Atamle who served as the MC for the night.
Best known as Africa’s Biggest Viral Wedding MC, he has successfully expanded that identity into stand-up comedy.
By Linda Abrefi Wadie
SKIP THE QUEUE, TAP THE NEWS
You can now read the Ghanaian Times and The Spectator newspapers from the comfort of your device via TimesNewsPlus.
Join our WhatsApp Channel: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VbBElzjInlqHhl1aTU27
